


But for now you're a scan of my unmade plans

by yasminkhxns



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: (the doctor is a bit of mum too tbf), Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Will Add Tags As We Go, and it's also been one of my favourite things to write EVER, honestly just all kinds of fluff, mum!yaz, this is literally gonna be some of the fluffiest stuff EVER, this is soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-02-12 17:37:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21480247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasminkhxns/pseuds/yasminkhxns
Summary: snippets of all sizes where everything in the Doctor Who universe is exactly the same except that Yaz is a mum.---Latest update: After being rescued from prison, the Doctor sees her family again for the first time in... how long?
Relationships: The Doctor/Yasmin Khan, Thirteenth Doctor & Yasmin Khan, Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan
Comments: 56
Kudos: 159





	1. 1-4

**Author's Note:**

  * For [not_joli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_joli/gifts), [timelxrd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/timelxrd/gifts), [underwxrld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/underwxrld/gifts).

> So here it is! mum!yaz is officially being posted on ao3. I've being writing this since like august and sharing it on discord but now i think it's time i finally start sharing it here! I honestly have SO MUCH written for this already so i'll slowly be uploading it bit by bit for you all to enjoy. 
> 
> and yes of course i'm gonna keep writing for this for as long as i have ideas, so if you got something you wanna see hit me up in the comments or on twitter @yasminkhxns !!
> 
> An important thing to note: these snippets aren't in any kind of chronological order and there isn't any kind of over-arching story to this, it's literally just self indulgent writing on my behalf LMAO

**1\. An introduction**

“Hi Inaya.” the Doctor says gently as she kneels down to the little girl’s height. “Did you know you have the best mum in the whole entire universe?” 

The Doctor hears Yaz chuckle above her as Inaya’s face splits into a massive grin.

“Yeah.” Inaya nods shyly, her small grip tightening on Yaz’s hand. “She’s the best mummy ever.” Inaya glances up at her mum, eyes gleaming with an infinite amount of love. The Doctor’s own hearts melt a little at the sight of Inaya looking at her mum like she hung the stars, the Time Lord knowing she is guilty of doing the same. 

  
  


**2\. Safe**

“Mummy!”

Yaz spins around, breaking into a sob at the sight of her daughter, safe, in the Doctor’s arms.

“_ Inaya, _ Oh my god!” Yaz chokes out, tears streaming down her face.

The Doctor sets the little girl down on her feet and watches as she sprints towards Yaz. “Mummy!” 

Once Inaya is close enough, Yaz drops to her knees with a thud and scoops her daughter up in her arms. She sobs into her hair as she clutches at Inaya like she’ll never let go again. When the Doctor finally joins them, she remains at a slight distance, allowing the mother and daughter time to properly reunite after too long apart. Inaya cries into her mum’s own shoulder, relief pouring out of her like the tears that fall over her rosy cheeks.

Yaz rocks the two of them from her spot on the ground in an attempt to calm both her and her daughter down. She presses kisses to Inaya’s hairline and cheek, the feel of her little girl in her arms again so overwhelming.

After what feels like hours, Yaz finally loosens her grip on Inaya and looks up to the Doctor, a loving smile gracing her lips and gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you.” she whispers, her voice still trembling with emotion. 

Yaz eventually lifts Inaya from her lap to check her over and make sure she’s ok. “Are you alright, sweetheart?” she asks, cupping Inaya’s face and wiping the tear tracks off her cheeks. Her daughter nods shyly, lips still quivering as she lifts her palms up for Yaz to see. “Just my hands hurt.” Yaz moves her own hands to gently grasp Inaya’s and pull them closer for inspection. They have a few grazes across them, some specks of dirt trapped in the small wounds. “We’ll take you home and get these cleaned up, ok?” Yaz says as she brings the scraped palms to her lips and plants a gentle kiss on each one before giving her daughter comforting smile. 

“Ok.” Inaya replies quietly.

“Now come here.” Yaz says as she rises from the ground and reaches underneath Inaya’s arms to lift her up. She rests her daughter against her hip and waits a moment while Inaya wraps her arms around her neck and lays her head on her mum’s shoulder. As they begin to walk, the Doctor quickly steps in line with them as they head back to Yaz’s flat. 

After a couple of minutes in comfortable silence, Inaya turns her head to catch eyes with the Doctor. “My hands don’t hurt so much now.” 

“No?” the Doctor questions, a warm smile pulling at her lips. “Why’s that?”

“Mummy kissed them better.” the Time Lord chuckles and Inaya smiles tiredly back, making a warmth that the Doctor hasn’t felt in a long time wrap its way around her hearts. She knew she’d become too attached to this little family, but at the same time she couldn’t care less. 

  
  


**3\. Reassurance (M sort of)**

The Doctor runs her hands up Yaz’s sides and trails featherlight kisses up her neck, continuing her journey upwards to reclaim her lips. As she deepens the kiss, the Doctor moves her hands up to rest around Yaz’s neck, pulling her closer, a soft moan falling from the younger woman’s lips when their bodies press against each other. The Doctor’s hands start to slowly trail down to grip at the hem of Yaz’s shirt and being to tug it up when_—_

“Wait.” Yaz’s hands rest over the Doctor’s, stopping them from pulling the shirt over her head.

“What’s wrong?” the Doctor asks, concern creasing her features. 

“I just, I–” Yaz huffs as she breaks eye contact with the Doctor, staring down at her own hands that are now fiddling with the Doctor’s fingers nervously. 

“Yaz?” the Doctor twists her fingers to interlink them with Yaz’s own, ceasing her fidgeting as she gently runs a thumb over Yaz’s knuckles. 

When Yaz’s finally looks up, all she sees is patient understanding shining in the Doctor’s eyes and a loving smile gracing her lips. It gives her the courage to voice her anxieties. “I’m just a little _—_ conscious… of my body.”

“What do you mean?” the Doctor asks innocently. 

“Well, having Inaya gave me a few um, imperfections? That I don’t really like.” Yaz answers, a slight tremble in her voice. 

The Doctor tilts her head like a curious puppy, not quite understanding. Yaz uses the action as a cue to keep going. “I have stretch marks, and a scar from when I had to have an emergency c-section that I hate. I had her at such a young age and it was really scary and I associate bad experiences with it. As for the stretch marks, I have a lot of them and I’m just _—_ I dunno I’m just uncomfortable with them. Sorry, it probably seems silly to someone like you.” 

The Doctor’s face morphs into an expression of disbelief, her hands moving back up to cup Yaz’s face and lightly stroke her thumbs across her cheekbones. “Yasmin Khan, you are the most beautiful thing in this entire universe. Those stretch marks? They’re not imperfections. They just add to your beauty, they show you’ve lived _ your _ life, and brought something fantastic into this world. Same goes for the scar. It’s a part of who you are _—_ your journey. That mark on your skin gave you Inaya, so don’t ever think I would be deterred by them, ever. Ok? Let me prove to you how much I want you, Yaz. _ All _of you.” 

Yaz can’t help but well up at the way the Doctor spins her words like they’re made of golden thread, wrapping around her in a comforting warmth that only the alien in front of her could possibly conjure. The Doctor smiles at her with nothing but adoration in her eyes and Yaz has never felt so comfortable in her own skin. “Ok.” she smiles back. 

The Doctor nods as she reaches back down the hem of her shirt but Yaz stops her, the Doctor looking up in confusion. “Let me.” Yaz whispers as she grasps at the fabric and slowly pulls the shirt over her head. The act of revealing herself to the Doctor on her own terms making her feel surprisingly powerful, the Time Lord’s intense gaze as it rakes over her bare skin only adding to her new found confidence and setting a fire ablaze between her gut.

“Yaz…” the Doctor breathes, fingers skimming over her stomach, tracing her scar, grazing across until they reach the dark lines that grace Yaz’s hips. She gently strokes across the marks, leaning down to press gentle kisses across each one, Yaz’s hands falling to twist in blonde hair as she gasps at the breath ghosting over sensitive skin. After giving attention to every stripe separately, the Doctor pushes Yaz back slightly on her legs and moves her head to the middle of her lower stomach. She plants the lightest kisses all the way across the scar and a damp sheen coats Yaz’s eyes at the action, her emotions running wild. After completing her mission of kissing every part of Yaz’s lower stomach, the Doctor finally rises back up and cups the back of Yaz’s neck, pulling her close again. “You’re gorgeous, Yaz. Every part of you. I hope you know that.” 

The Doctor pulls her into a wanton kiss, full of so much affection that Yaz moans when the Time Lord deepens it. She feels the Doctor’s free hand brush over her skin until it reaches the clasp of her bra and unclips it. Yaz’s confidence wanes once she is completely exposed to the Doctor, her arms unconsciously moving to cover her chest until they are stopped by the Time Lord. 

“Yaz.” the Doctor whispers, eyes glancing over the dark stripes that paint the skin on the sides of breasts. While one hand remains curled around the back of Yaz’s neck, lightly scratching the tension away, the other slowly moves up to run her thumb over a stiff peak, tracing circles around its sensitive skin. Yaz sighs into the touch as she begins to relax. “They’re beautiful, just like the rest of you.”

Yaz’s eyes flutter shut at the ministrations of the Doctor’s deft fingers and slowly nods, starting to believe the Doctor’s sure words. The hand resting around her neck pulls her down as their lips press together in a tender kiss, their foreheads resting against each other when they pull away, breaths mingling as Yaz’s becomes heavier when the Doctor pinches her dark bud lightly. 

  
  


**4\. Tiger stripes**

As Yaz reaches into the top cupboard of her family’s kitchen, she feels tiny fingers graze over the skin on her hips where her pyjama top has ridden up, forcing her to flinch away slightly. “Mummy? What are these?” Inaya asks curiously.

Yaz’s gaze flicks down to find what Inaya is questioning and spots her tracing the stretch marks on her dark skin. She manages to quickly grab the custard cream packet out of the cupboard and pop them down on the side, her stance making the fabric drop back down and cover her insecurities. The intrigued look glistening in Inaya’s eyes doesn’t falter and Yaz flusters for a moment, unsure of how to explain the marks to her daughter. “Erm… well they’re um_—_” 

“Tiger stripes!” the Doctor calls as she stands from her chair at the kitchen table, rounding on the mother-daughter duo. 

“Tiger stripes?” Inaya repeats, looking up to the Doctor who rests her hand on the back of Inaya’s head and strokes gently through the curly hair that bounces over her shoulders. 

“Yep!” the Doctor grins down at the little girl. “They’re special tiger stripes that some mummies get when they have a baby, and it makes them super strong.” she explains confidently. 

“So, not all mummies have them?” 

“Not all mummies, no.” the Doctor confirms.

“Do you have them?” Inaya asks, and the possible insinuation of the Doctor being another one of her mum’s startles both women for a moment. 

“Um_—_ no. I don’t have any.”

“Oh.” Inaya chimes. “So my mummy is special?” 

The Doctor’s gaze moves up to Yaz and watches as a watery smile pulls at her lips, grateful for the Doctor’s explanation. “Yes.” the Doctor says as she reaches out and slips a hand under Yaz’s top to gently stroke a thumb across the dark lines. “She’s very special.” she remarks, smiling warmly at Yaz.

“I knew it!” Inaya giggles. “So do they give you superpowers? Are you a superhero mummy?!” 

Both women laugh as the Doctor reaches down to pick the little girl up and rest her against her hip. “Yep! She’s a proper superhero your mum. She has the superpower of making the best cup of tea in the universe.”

“But that’s boooring.” Inaya pouts as Yaz expression turns faux insulted. 

“Inaya! That’s so mean!” she exaggerates. “You’ve hurt your mum’s feelings now, you know.” Yaz says as she tugs open the packet of biscuits, taking a bite of one. 

“Can I have one?” Inaya asks and Yaz raises her eyebrows expectantly. “Please?” she finishes, keeping up with her manners. 

“Hmmm…” Yaz elongates as she amplifies her actions, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “I’m not sure whether little girls that call their mummy’s boring should get a biscuit.” 

The Doctor’s shoulders shake with a laugh as she watches mother and daughter interact, Inaya crossing her arms in a sulk at her mum’s answer. “I called you special first!” she whines.

Yaz, finally breaking character at the look on her daughter’s face, pulls another biscuit out of the packet. “I know you did, sweetheart. Here you go.” she says as she passes Inaya a custard cream, watching as her features light up. 

“Thank you mummy!” she replies before shoving half of it in her mouth, quietly munching on the treat. 

Yaz looks to the Doctor who’s eyes are locked on the open packet. “I suppose you want one too?” the Doctor glances at a Yaz, putting on her sweetest smile as she nods.

“Yes please.” 

Yaz pulls another biscuit out the packet and steps into the Doctor’s space, offering the custard cream to the Time Lord, inches from her mouth, allowing her to reach forward and grab it between her teeth. Yaz watches as the Doctor flicks her head back and allows the whole biscuit to fall into mouth. She rolls her eyes in amusement, laughing at how the Doctor’s cheeks puff out slightly, so full of biscuit. When she finally swallows, the Doctor licks the crumbs from her lips and Yaz stares distractedly until the Doctor’s voice captures her attention again. “Right! I’ve got to go, I told Graham I’d help fix his boiler so he doesn’t have to waste money on calling someone out. I’ll see you later Inaya?” she asks, the little girl in her arms nodding enthusiastically in reply.

“Bye Doctor!” she says as she hugs her neck tightly. When she finally loosens her hold, she leans back and drops a kiss to the Time Lord’s cheek. The Doctor returns it by leaving a peck on Inaya’s hairline and pops her back on the ground. She takes a moment to stare down at the small girl who still stands next to her, in awe of how much the little family has wormed its way into her hearts, sealing up any cracks with the unwavering love she receives from them.

When she glances back up to Yaz, she sees adoration painting her face and love pooling in her eyes. “I’ll see you later too?” 

“‘Course.” she replies softly as she leans forward and plants a gentle kiss on the Doctor’s lips, the alien’s hand coming up rest lightly on her cheek. They both pull away at Inaya’s interruption. 

“Ewwww mummy stop it!” Inaya cries, and the two women laugh against each others lips until Yaz pulls away far enough to look down at her daughter. 

“Why? Do you not want a big sloppy kiss too?” Yaz questions, her voice reaching a higher pitch as she extends an arm to try grab at Inaya, who instead just screams and runs away. 

Yaz and the Doctor both continue to laugh as they watch Inaya jump on the sofa and hide her face in a cushion. The Doctor sighs happily, “Ok, bye for real this time.” 

“Bye.” Yaz replies as the Doctor leans in again to leave a quick peck on her lips, finally spinning on her feet to head out the door. When it slams shut, Yaz rests her hip against the kitchen side and hums softly. 

“Mummy?” Inaya asks, pulling Yaz out of her head, her daughter having now made her way back into the kitchen after previously escaping her mum. 

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Why does your face look like that?” she asks, pointing up at Yaz’s face.

“Like what?” Yaz asks in confusion.

“All mushy and soft. It’s weird.”

Yaz chuckles as she ruffles Inaya’s hair. “I think it’s just love, darling.” 

“So love is mushy?” Inaya quizzes and Yaz smiles warmly back at her.

“Yeah. I suppose it is.”


	2. 5-7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i know the plan was to update this intermittently but 13'S VARIANT JUMPER OUTFIT Y'ALL SHE LOOKS SO SOFT AND WARM AND CUTE I SLFKGJLKFSHJLKSGJLFJGSLJSLK
> 
> AND I COULDN'T NOT WRITE SOMETHING TO DO WITH INAYA AND THAT JUMPER SO HERE WE ARE LMAO 
> 
> updates won't be this frequent so y'all just lucky this week LKSFGJGKLFS

5**. The jumper**

It’s a particularly cold winter back on Earth, so cold in fact, that heating in Park Hill flats is currently broken, leaving the Khan’s flat full of dithering humans and one alien that barely felt the cold at all. 

“You’re seriously not cold?” Yaz asks, looking up at the Doctor from under three layers of blankets, Inaya huddled into her side. 

“Nope! Perks of being–” the Doctor pauses, reminding herself of Yaz’s ‘no time and space’ rule around Inaya, “from further up north! My body is used to the cold.” 

“North people are strange.” Inaya whispers to Yaz, the young mum chuckling to herself when she sees the Doctor’s pout. 

The Doctor plonks herself on the sofa next Inaya, stroking her fingers through long dark curls, feeling the coolness of young girls head. “You still cold?” she asks, concern clear in her tone. 

Inaya nods, tucking herself further into her mum’s neck. 

“Right,” the Doctor starts, springing back up off the sofa. “I’ll be back in a minute.” 

“Where are you go–” Yaz calls out, cut off by the slam of the flat door. She huffs to herself, arms wrapping tighter around her daughter.

Five minutes later the recognisable sound of whirring and the click of the lock on the front door signals the Doctor’s return, the Time Lord soon perching herself back on the sofa. “Right I’ve got something for you to wear Inaya. It’s a very special jumper of mine made from very special wool that will keep you _ so _warm you’ll almost think it’s alien.” she states, winking at Yaz when she speaks the hidden truth. 

Inaya slips out from underneath the blankets to stand in front of the Doctor, who slips the dark blue jumper over the four-year-old’s head, grinning at the sight. The jumper has a rainbow embossed over the chest, and falls just past the young girls knees, the sleeves falling so far over her hands that Inaya flaps them around wildly. The jumper drowns her, and it’s the cutest thing Yaz and the Doctor have ever seen. A quick flash behind the Doctor affirms a picture has been taken, and Inaya hops up onto her lap, enveloping the Doctor in a hug, the sleeves of jumper almost hitting her in the face in the process. 

“Thank you, Doctor!” Inaya beams.

“You’re more than welcome! You look very cute.” the Doctor grins back.

“Do I?”

“Adorable, sweetheart.” Yaz confirms, “Now get back under the covers and cuddle with me.”

Inaya darts off the Doctor’s lap, shuffling under the blankets to snuggle back into her mum’s side.

“And you!” Yaz says, reaching her arm out for the Doctor who doesn’t hesitate to slip under the covers and slot against mother and daughter. 

“Cuddles with Yaz and Inaya, amazin’.”

6**. A not so stranger **

As the Doctor steps out the TARDIS and begins heading towards Park Hill, a figure in the distance waves enthusiastically at her. She squints, the shadow of the building disguising what she can tell is a woman’s face. She keeps walking closer, the figure doing the same until she finally comes into view to reveal herself as _—_ a total stranger. Except that the Doctor is clearly not a stranger to them when the woman runs the rest of the way and wraps the Doctor in a hug. “Hi space mum!” she calls and the Doctor freezes.

The woman obviously feels the Doctor tense up at the phrase when she slowly pulls away. “Are you ok?”

The Doctor is dumbstruck for a moment as she catalogues the woman’s words in her brain, before finally willing herself to speak. “What did you just call me?” 

The woman chuckles, although worry etches across her face at the Doctor’s bizarre response. “What do you mean what did I call you? I call you space mum all the time.”

The Doctor’s eyes widen, the implications clicking into place in her brain, and she catches the moment when the same thing happens to the woman stood before her. “Oh my god, please tell me you’re _ my _ Doctor?” 

The Time Lord just stares blankly, a response not necessary when both women already know the truth. “Inaya?” she questions, and the young woman nods her head in confirmation. The Doctor takes a deep breath before continuing. “What year is this?” 

“2035.” 

The Doctor gasps and pulls away entirely, nervous energy bursting through her at the ramifications of her mistake. “_ Oh no. _” 

“Doctor _—_ what year were you _ supposed _to land in?” Inaya asks, a slight tremble in her voice.

“2019.” 

“Oh god.” 

“Yeah…”

“I was three!” Inaya cries.

“I know, I know! I’m so _ stupid. _ The _ one _ time I forget to check the monitors. I’ve been so careful with landing at the right time since I met your mum. I’m _ such _ an idiot. Inaya, I’m so sorry.” she says as she skulks back towards Yaz’s now nineteen year old daughter, who grabs the Doctor’s shoulders to keep her in place. 

“Hey, it’s ok. This is all just… a little crazy. I sort of forget this kind of stuff can happen.” 

“You can’t tell your mum you’ve seen me.” the Doctor quickly responds.

“Yeah,I figured.” Inaya replies with a small roll of her eyes, the action granting a timid smile from the Doctor. 

“I can’t believe this.” the Doctor moves her hands up to cup Inaya’s face, curly hair still cascading over her shoulders. “Look at you. You look _ just _like your mum.” 

“I know. My Nani says it all the time.” 

The Doctor chuckles and it’s crinkles her eyes, contagious enough that a laugh bubbles up in Inaya too. 

“So, the mum that your _ supposed _ to be with. She’s my age isn’t she?” 

The Doctor nods in response.

“_ Wow. _ This is mad. Don’t think anything this wild has ever happened on a TARDIS trip before.”

The Doctor gasps, her mouth forming an ‘o’ shape. “I convince your mum to let you on the TARDIS?!” 

Inaya slaps a hand over her mouth at the accidental reveal. “Spoilers?” 

The Time Lord can’t help but laugh at the well known response, until she becomes concerned with said spoilers. “Spoilers _—_ yes, right. Actually, I should probably go in case, you know, I run into your mum. Meeting you is already messing with the timelines enough.” she slips out of Inaya’s hold and stands awkwardly for a moment.

“Yeah, my mum will be out any minute actually, we’re only here visiting my Nani.”

They both stand there, the space heavy between them, both unsure of how to say goodbye when they will in fact see different versions of each other very soon. “Well_—_” the Doctor points to the TARDIS over her shoulder, “Should probably get going. So erm… goodbye?” 

As she begins to take a step back to leave, Inaya surges forward and wraps the Doctor in a tight hug that leaves her off guard for a moment before she quickly reciprocates, timelines be damned. 

“Bye, space mum.” Inaya murmurs into the Doctor’s shoulder, the older woman smiling into dark curls at the name.

They pull apart and wave each other off as the Doctor steps back into her ship and takes off in haste. Once safely floating through the time vortex, she gives herself a quiet moment to comprehend the events she was privy to.

Inaya, sixteen years in the future, calling her _—_ _ space mum _ ? She knew what it meant, unable to stop the grin pulling at her lips. So long as they stayed on this timeline, Yaz would _ still _ be alive, happy, healthy, _ with her _ , sixteen years in the future. Yaz was _ alive _ , not dead through some tragic mistake of the Doctor’s own doing on an adventure. No abandoned daughter. Instead, a daughter that was happy to see her and call her _ mum _. A warmth sprouts in the Doctor’s chest that she hasn’t felt in thousands of years. It makes tears prickle at her eyes, her emotions overwhelming her. 

She quickly reaches over and pulls down a lever as she wipes away a tear that spills over, excited to get back to her family, yes, _ her _family, at the right time. 

When the TARDIS lands, she triple checks the monitor, even reading the date aloud as another safeguard.

Sounding a rhythm as she knocks on the Khan’s flat door, she’s practically buzzing with so much excitement that when Yaz opens the door, Inaya stood next to her at three years old, joy bursts in her chest. She reaches down and picks Inaya up, pulling her into the warmest hug.

“Hiya honey!” Inaya laughs as the Doctor rocks her from side to side, her hearts melting even more when she catches the look of love in Yaz’s eyes. When she finally places Inaya back down on the ground, the little girl is chattering away already. “Mummy got me a new bear, do you want to see it?” 

“Do I want to see it? Of course I do! Can you go fetch it and bring it to me so I can have a good look?” the Doctor asks, knowing it’ll give her and Yaz a brief moment alone.

“Yeah!” Inaya replies, nodding enthusiastically and running off to find the cuddly toy. 

Yaz invites the Doctor inside, swiftly shutting the door behind them. “What’s gotten into you?” 

“Nothing.” the Doctor replies softly. “Just _—_ happy to come see my family.” 

Yaz’s eyes widen at the Doctor’s response, not expecting such a declaration. “Your family?” she asks, her grin beaming.

“Yeah,” the Doctor leans forward and leaves a tender kiss on Yaz’s lips. “My family.”

7**. Nightmare**

Inaya’s eyes slowly blink open to the darkness, awoken by the feeling of someone wriggling in the sheets next to her. When she shuffles onto her other side, she finds the Doctor, desperately fidgeting in place, face pulled taut, a sheen of sweat glistening on her brow. Inaya sits up, leaning closer, and when she sees the frightened look on the Doctor’s face, she can’t stop herself from reaching out to lightly shake her arm. “Doctor?” she calls quietly, but the Time Lord remains trapped in her mind, a whine escaping her. “Doctor?” she says louder and shakes a little harder until she bolts up right, making Inaya jump. The Doctor gasps for air, eyes wild as she scans her surroundings until they lock onto a confused four-year-old. Inaya immediately notices the damp sheen shining in the Doctor’s eyes, some of it having already escaped down her cheek.

“Inaya? I–” the Doctor stutters, still trying to calm herself down, hand coming up to her chest. “I’m so sorry, did _—_ did I wake you up?” 

Inaya nods in reply and the Doctor suddenly looks disheartened. “I’m sorry, honey. You should go back to sleep.” she says, taking a deep breath and wiping the dampness from her cheek and forehead. 

“Are you ok?” Inaya whispers.

“I’m fine.” the Doctor grimaces, her mask of assurance not yet having fallen back into place. 

“Was it a nightmare?” Inaya presses, unconvinced by the Doctor’s answer. 

Unable to deny the young girl anything, the Doctor nods slowly.

“What was it about?” she pushes further.

“Monsters.” the Doctor lies.

“Oh, I get those too. But it’s ok,” she reaches out and grabs at the Doctor’s fingers with her small hand, appreciating the gentle squeeze she gets in return. “Mummy says they aren’t real.” 

The Doctor lets out a breath she didn’t realise she was holding and offers Inaya a shy smile, some of the tension slipping away at young girl’s innocence. She carefully lies back down so as not to wake Yaz, who still peacefully sleeps next to them. She turns her head on the pillow to face Inaya, who has also lay back down on her side, watching the Doctor intently. 

“Inaya?” the Doctor coos.

“Mhm?”

“Can I _—_ can I maybe have a hug?” she asks timidly.

Inaya immediately springs up and flops her whole body over the Doctor’s, who catches her with an _ oof _ at the unexpected weight of the little girl. Small arms wrap around her neck as Inaya snuggles her face into the Doctor’s neck, the Time Lord shifting to gently rest her hands on the four-year-old’s back, and begin rubbing slow, comforting circles.

They lay there in silence for a few minutes, the Doctor continuing her ministrations on Inaya’s back, thinking the young girl might have fallen asleep, until she begins to hear the lyrics to _ twinkle twinkle little star _being sung quietly into her ear. The Doctor gives way to an adoring smile as she continues to hear the song whispered into her ear. 

A verse and a chorus in, the Doctor hears a stirring next to her and glances over to Yaz’s side of the bed to see the young woman lying awake, watching her daughter sing for the Doctor, both of their eyes quickly glistening with unshed tears that are full of love. 

Yaz mouths a _ ‘you ok?’ _to the Doctor, who gives her a small nod in reply, reaching out the hand not running circles over Inaya’s back to grab at Yaz’s fingers and intertwine them. 

Inaya’s singing starts to slur and slow as sleep begins to consume her small form once again, the Doctor’s hand on her back lulling her eyes to shut. Silence eventually covers the room again, and the Doctor pulls the sheets back over herself and Inaya. 

“You gonna be ok with her on top of you like that?” Yaz whispers.

“Yeah, probably won’t sleep now anyway.”

“Nightmare?”

“Yeah. It’s ok though, had someone help comfort me.” Her eyes drop to the small form on top of her and Yaz huffs a quiet laugh.

“Want me to stay up with you?” Yaz suggests.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. You go back to sleep.” the Doctor strokes the back of Yaz’s cheek with her fingers and watches as her eyes flutter shut briefly. “You’re tired.”

“Mhmm, ok… goodnight, Doctor.” Yaz mumbles.

“Goodnight Yaz.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S O F T


	3. 8-10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooo british politics is being shit so i thought we might need a pick me up
> 
> i chose some extra softé snippets especially <3

**8\. Rainy days & hot chocolate**

Once they cross the threshold of the Khan family flat, Yaz pops Inaya back down on the ground and pulls her damp hood off her head. She crouches to help her daughter out of her soggy boots and coat, before removing her own and leaving them in the hallway to dry. “Hello?” Yaz calls out and receives no reply. “Hmm… must just be us two Inaya.” 

Mother and daughter walk down the hallway together, Inaya holding a light grasp on her mum’s hand. As they round the corner, intent on heading to the kitchen to make hot chocolate, they both freeze at the sight of the Doctor, fast asleep on the sofa, limbs awry, a half eaten custard cream on her chest and crumbs at the corner of her mouth. 

Inaya lights up at the sight. “Doc-”

“Shh.” Yaz quickly hushes her, tightening her grip on her daughter’s hand when she attempts to rush toward the alien. “Let her sleep, sweetheart. She doesn’t do it enough.” Inaya looks up at her, confused by the statement, so she changes the subject. “Want that hot chocolate now?” 

Inaya immediately nods her head as she sounds a quiet, “Yes please.” 

They make their way into the kitchen and Yaz lifts Inaya onto the counter where she sits quietly while Yaz prepares their drinks, passing her daughter a little marshmallow before popping one in her own mouth with a cheeky smile. To finish off the hot chocolates, Yaz sprays cream on top and sprinkles on the mini marshmallows, placing one of the mugs next to her daughter. “Wait until it’s cooled a bit first ok? Don’t want you burning your mouth like last time.” 

“Yes, mummy.” 

Yaz tells Inaya to wait a moment as she tip-toes her way over to the Doctor’s sleeping form. She can’t stop the smile that forms on her lips at the sight of the Time Lord looking so peaceful, her lips slightly parted and her hair a little ruffled. She’d clearly fallen asleep on accident, her coat and boots still on and biscuit on her chest. The thought of the Doctor unintentionally dropping off making Yaz chuckle. 

Carefully, Yaz’s reaches down and picks up the biscuit, placing it to one side before attempting to lightly brush the abundance of crumbs off the dark blue of the Doctor’s shirt. After a second brush of her fingers, she jumps when a hand clamps around her wrist and she looks up to see the Doctor’s eyes flutter open. “What you doing?” the Doctor slurs, still drunk on sleep as Yaz smiles remorsefully down at her.

“Sorry, I was trying to wipe the crumbs off your top. You left a right mess.” the Doctor frowns as she glances down at the few remaining specks on her chest.

“Where’s my biscuit?”

“Seriously?” Yaz rolls her eyes as she picks the offending treat up off the coffee table to hand back to the Time Lord, who swiftly shoves it in her mouth. “You’re unbelievable.” she says, head shaking while the Doctor just smiles lazily through her chewing.

When she finally swallows, the Doctor opens her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Inaya, who is still waiting for her mum on the counter. “Mummy? Can I drink it now?” she calls.

“One sec sweetheart, let me come test it first.” Yaz stands straight and heads back to the kitchen, leaving the Doctor still flopped over the sofa. She picks up her mug and blows on the drink before tentatively taking a sip to find it at a now perfect drinking temperature. “It’s fine.” she confirms as she goes to take another sip when Inaya starts laughing at her. “What?”

“You’ve got cream on the tip of your nose!” she hears the Doctor call, who is slowly making her way over as she stretches, the action pulling her top out of trousers and revealing a sliver of her toned stomach. Yaz hides a blush behind her mug and hand as she wipes the cream from her face, Inaya still giggling, until Yaz wipes the cream on her daughter’s own nose, making her yelp. 

“Mummy!” Inaya rubs the cream away as Yaz laughs at her daughter’s pout that quickly breaks into a giggle.

When they both calm down, Yaz turns her focus to the Doctor. “So, Doctor, not that I don’t appreciate you being here, but why did I come home to you asleep on my sofa?” Yaz asks, eyebrows raising in a questioning manner.

“Oh, that, well_—_” the Doctor rubs the back of her neck awkwardly. “Well, I got here a little early so I started doing a bit of TARDIS maintenance but I accidentally did something she  _ really _ didn’t like so she’s sort of kicked me out for a bit. Then I came here, but you weren’t in. So_—_” she stops, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“So?” Yaz persists. 

“So I sort of, soniced your door? And I was gonna wait till you got back, so I just lay on the sofa for a bit but at one point and I must’ve fallen asleep. Sorry, I thought you wouldn’t mind. Should’ve thought about it a bit more really. It is kind of breaking and entering, and you are police.” her face scrunches into a grimace at her questionable plan.

“It isn’t  _ kind of  _ breaking and entering Doctor,  _ it is  _ breaking and entering. Thankfully, I don’t really mind that much. You’re just lucky my parents didn’t get home first, they would’ve had a right shock. My mum is still convinced we’re more than friends, you know. That would  _ not  _ have helped.”

The Doctor laughs awkwardly, a blush rising on her cheeks when she thinks about Najia’s insistence. “Oh yeah, didn’t think about that. Sorry.” 

Yaz reaches out to rest a hand on the blonde’s upper arm. “Just, call me next time, ok? You could’ve met us in town instead of coming here to sit around on your own.”

“Ok.” the Doctor smiles politely.

Yaz returns it as she catches the Doctor’s flickering gaze. “Now, do you want some of my hot chocolate or not? Because I keep seeing you look at.” Inaya laughs in the background, contently sipping on her own drink in between giggles.

The Doctor nods shyly as Yaz presses the mug into the Doctor’s palms, her smile as warm as the drink when their fingers gently graze over each others. “Go on then.” she says as she rolls her eyes slightly. 

“Thank you.” the Doctor replies softly, taking a sip of the drink and humming at the sweetness. When she pulls it away, both mother and daughter burst out laughing, a pout immediately forming on the Doctor’s lips. “What?” when the only response she gets is more laughter she asks again. “What? What is it?!” 

Yaz gestures to her top lip as she clutches her stomach. “You’ve_—_” she tries, “you’ve got a cream-stache!” 

The Doctor dabs her top lip and pulls it away to observe the cream on her finger before glaring at it and wiping the rest away. “I swear, I’m just a laughing stock to you two.” 

“You are!” Yaz answers, proceeding to laugh harder along with her daughter.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the Doctor finds herself back on the sofa, Yaz on one side, Inaya on the other, a blanket covering all three of them as they snuggle together, faithful cup of tea in hand. A drink she can trust to not make her look like a joke. They’re watching some children’s TV show about gem’s that she finds herself oddly enraptured by, and perhaps she would be even more engrossed, if it wasn’t for the proximity of Yaz, who is pressed right up against her, head leaning on her shoulder and her breath grazing across the Doctor’s skin. Inaya on the other hand, is curled into her side, her own arm resting around her small form. 

When the Doctor forces her concentration back onto the screen she watches as the red and blue characters appear to be getting married, and feels Inaya shift slightly to snuggle in closer. 

“Those are Ruby and Sapphire.” Inaya points to the screen.

“Oh right.” the Doctor replies, taking a sip from her mug. 

“The remind me of you and mummy.” she says casually. 

The Doctor chokes on her tea.

**9\. 'Wear them in'**

When Yaz wakes the next morning to an empty bed, she isn’t surprised. It’s rare she’ll wake to the Time Lord next to her, the Doctor’s lack of need to sleep meaning she’ll only fidget until Yaz kicks her out anyway. It’s always been the same, on the TARDIS, at her old flat with her parents, and now in her house. 

Yaz slowly sits up and stretches, taking her time hauling herself out of bed. Now that she’s higher up the rank of command at work, a more intense workload has given her extra appreciation for her days off. Yaz slips on her dressing and begins to head downstairs, when halfway down the steps she hears a barrage of shuffling and clunking coming from her living room. As she drops off the last step and walks down the hall, Yaz enters the lounge to the sight of the Doctor, wrapped up in her brand new curtains and struggling to yank one of her arms out of the material. 

“Doctor, what on  _ Earth  _ are you doing?!” the Time Lord freezes and slowly turns to face Yaz, wearing the most innocent smile she can muster. 

“Erm…” 

“Care to explain?”

“Well, yes. You see–” the Doctor starts until she is interrupted by Inaya’s laughter.

“Oh my god! Space mum why are you so weird?!” the seven year old manages to splutter as she clutches her stomach through her increasing laughter.

“Inaya! I am not  _ weird! _ ” 

“You so are!”

“Well, I’ll have you know, you humans are the weird ones with your… curtain wearing rituals. I just thought I’d be  _ nice _ and take one for the team and do it  _ for  _ you.” the Doctor huffs, trying to cross her arms only half successful, one of them still trapped in the fabric.

Yaz looks baffled. “I have literally no idea what you’re on about.” 

“When your curtain man came around yesterday!” Yaz’s eyebrows raise, signalling the Doctor to continue. “He said, ‘you have to wear them in.’ So that’s exactly what I’m doing!”

“Oh my God...” Yaz’s face falls into her hand as Inaya drops back onto the sofa, still in uncontrollable laughter. 

“I don’t understand why you’re laughing.” the Doctor chides.

“Doctor,” Yaz starts, “I love you so much, but sometimes you are so stupid.” the look of total confusion on the Doctor’s faces causes Yaz to snigger as she steps into the alien’s space, helping her to unravel from the fabric. 

“Did I get Earth customs wrong again?” the Doctor asks, looking dejected as she spins out the curtains.

“Just a little bit, yeah.” Yaz finishes freeing the Doctor from the fabric, who proceeds to shake her limbs like a dog that just came out of a muddy puddle. “What he meant was, I’m just supposed to let them hang and get their use, let them loosen out ‘cause they’re quite stiff when you first put them up. Though I reckon you wrapping yourself up in them has done the job.” she says, shaking them out and noticing how they fall more softly than before.

“Oh, right… sorry.” the Doctor says, her face scrunching. 

Inaya, after calming herself down, finally drags herself off the sofa and runs to the Doctor, clamping her arms around the Time Lord’s waist in a tight hug. The Doctor falls back a step from Inaya’s force, but quickly returns the hug, her own arms wrapping around the young girl’s shoulders, her face immediately softening. 

After a few moments, Inaya looks up to Yaz, a grin plastered on her face. “Having a space mum is the best thing in the universe!” Both women laugh as Yaz steps forward to join in on the family hug, the Doctor’s arm wrapping around her waist as she pulls her into a gentle kiss. 

The Doctor’s hearts swell, and for the first time since Gallifrey, she feels like she has a family again. 

**10\. Newborn**

After five long, daunting days in hospital, Yaz finally arrives home. Her mum’s hand on her back gently guides her down the hallway, both of them being careful so as Yaz doesn’t pull the stitches of her c-section. With her mum’s assistance, she gingerly sits down on the sofa, newborn baby fast asleep, cradled snugly in her arms. Her parents leave her alone for a moment while they bring in a couple bags of baby things and follow on by pottering about in the kitchen. Yaz hears the kettle click on and soft murmurings of idle conversation between her mum and dad. However, her focus remains on the tiny bundle curled into her. Her finger tenderly strokes across the soft skin of the baby’s cheek, the newborn remaining undisturbed. 

Her parents join her on the sofa after a few minutes, her mum placing a mug of tea on the table in front of her. “There you go Yasmin, your first cup of caffeinated tea in nine months.” 

Yaz glances up and smiles gratefully at the older woman. “Thanks mum.” she whispers in reply.

“So,” her dad starts, “got a name for her yet?” 

Yaz’s gaze flicks between her parents for a moment, then back down to the baby in her arms.

“Yeah,” she pauses for a moment, “this is Inaya.” she coos, eyes watery as she stares lovingly down at her  _ daughter.  _

“Inaya.” her mum tests over her tongue. “That’s beautiful, love.”

“Just like her mother, then.” Hakim says, hand reaching out to rest atop Yaz’s knee in support. 

Yaz smiles softly back at her dad, although unable to hold his gaze for long, eyes quickly jumping back to Inaya. She was still in awe of the baby girl in her arms,  _ her daughter.  _ She  _ made  _ her,  _ gave birth _ to her, no matter how complicated the situation had ended up being, a dull throb shooting through the wound across her lower abdomen as a reminder. 

Yaz watches as little eyes slowly blink open, aware of the two other pairs fixated on the small bundle. “Hello, you.” she whispers, moving a finger to lightly tickle at the newborn’s stomach. Yaz grins down at her as she spies a tiny hand inching up to clasp over her finger and making a brand new warmth pool in Yaz’s chest. 

“Mum… she’s so small.” Yaz murmurs, peering over to her mum, the damp sheen covering her eyes mimicking Yaz’s own. 

“She is.” Najia agrees. “So make the most of it, because before you know, she’ll be your age.”

Yaz chuckles lightly, so as not to disrupt Inaya too much, appreciating the quiet she’s sure won’t last long. 

Hakim finishes off the dregs of his own cup of tea and pops it down on the coffee table where her full mug still sits. “Pass her here, love. Drink your tea.” he leans down and carefully scoops the baby from Yaz’s arms.  _ No crying, yet. _

Yaz picks up her mug and takes a sip, humming at the warmth. It’s not long before she’s finishing her own tea and her mum is collecting the empty mugs to wash up. Yaz, her dad and Inaya all sit in a comfortable silence until a particularly loud clatter in the kitchen signals the slip of ceramic out of Najia’s hands. They all outwardly cringe praying they haven’t disturbed Inaya. The brief silence following gives them hope, until a soft whimper turns into a deafening wail.

“Mum!”

“Najia!” Hakim and Yaz both chastise at the same time, looking over their shoulders to see an apologetic Najia. 

Yaz’s attention is brought back to her dad when she feels Inaya being returned to her arms, “Well then Yaz, here’s your first true test of motherhood, a crying baby back at home.” 

“Thanks dad…” 


	4. 11-12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> felt like posting some more so here you are!

**11\. At the park**

Yaz and Inaya crouch behind a tree as the younger woman shushes her daughter, making sure they stay hidden from who was looking for them. The little girl struggles to suppress her giggles when she peeks around from their hiding spot, to see the Doctor practically spinning around in circles looking for them. “Where in the universe _ are they? _ I’ll _ never _find them at this rate. Might just be stuck on my own forever!” she cries, exaggerating her movements, fully aware Inaya is watching her. The mother and daughter look to each other, both grinning, and Yaz herself tries not to laugh at the Doctor.

“_ Maaaybe, _they’re in the trees? Hmmmm, guess I’ll have to check!” the Doctor calls as she starts to stride over to the small wooded area Yaz and Inaya have found themselves tucked away in. They watch as the Doctor walks straight past them, peeking behind every tree in her dramatic search for them, despite knowing exactly where they are. Finally she spins around and spots them, Inaya’s playful scream making it obvious. “Found you!” the Doctor cries as she runs over and scoops Inaya up into her arms and starts swinging her left and right, innocent laughter sounding in her ear. 

“Can’t believe you found us.” Yaz teases, “We thought that was a great hiding place, right sweetheart?” she quips as she rubs her daughter’s back.

“Yeah!” 

They start heading out of the trees, back to where their picnic blanket lay on the ground, Inaya now drooped over the Doctor shoulder in a fireman’s lift where she giggles uncontrollably. Yaz settles down on the blanket as she watches the Doctor start to look around, hand resting on her brow as her eyes squint in search of:

“Where’s Inaya gone, Yaz? Can you see her? I think I’ve lost her?”

“I’m here!” the little girl cries and the Doctor gasps and spins around.

“Did you hear that?! I think she’s around here somewhere?” she teases playfully, Yaz laughing joyfully from her perch on the ground. 

“Doctor!” Inaya cries, “I’m here!” and the Doctors twists around again.

“I keep hearing her, but I can’t see her!” the Doctor says as she winks at Yaz. “Wait!” she stops, and squeezes one of Inaya’s legs. “Whose are these?” she questions.

“It’s me!” Inaya shouts as the Doctor finally pulls her from over her shoulder.

“Oh! There you are! What were you doing back there?!” she grins as she puts the little girl down, who proceeds to flop into her mum’s lap, Yaz’s arms wrapping gently around her as she plants a kiss into fine curls. 

“It was your fault!” Inaya cries.

“Mine?!” the Doctor asks, aghast. She goes to sit down and join the mother and daughter, when the sound of someone awkwardly clearing their throat catches on the wind behind her. She spins around, coat flapping, coming face to face with a woman and her young son. “Hiya! Are you ok?” the Doctor queries, always on the alert for people in need of help.

The woman rudely scoffs back, taking both the Doctor and Yaz by surprise. “There is nothing wrong with me, but perhaps there is something wrong with you.”

The Doctor turns to look at Yaz, who’s expression turns steely. Her gaze flicks back to the woman stood before her, and her head tilts slightly in confusion. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand.” 

“This is a family park, there are lots of impressionable children about, I don’t think it’s very appropriate, people like you being here.” the Doctor only seems to become more puzzled by the woman’s words, but Yaz understands. She understood as soon as woman started talking. She shifts Inaya in her lap so she can stand, the toddler resting on her hip.

“Exactly, it’s a family park,” Yaz speaks up. “So actually, I don’t think you and your close mindedness is very welcome here.”

The woman huffs at Yaz’s response, and the Doctor opens her mouth, about to speak, but Yaz beats her to it. “She thinks we’re a couple Doctor. She’s assumed we’re both Inaya’s mums.”

“So?” the Doctor questions, still not fully understanding. 

“She’s being homophobic.”

“I-” 

“Oh…” the Doctor sighs. “Oh, I see. Well that’s a bit ignorant of you don’t you think?” the Doctor gestures to the woman, who’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“I- no!” the woman snaps. “What you are doing is wrong, flaunting your unnatural lifestyle around, with your _ games _ and — and _ rainbows.” _she points to the Doctor’s attire. 

“So now you’re being stereotypical?” the Doctor replies immediately. “Honestly, you humans are unbelievable sometimes. You know Yaz, I’m not lying when I say that I love your species but sometimes certain groups of you are just so, _ stupid. _” 

“Excuse me–” 

“Nope! Sorry, I’m still talking. Don’t interrupt me please, it’s rude. Though I suppose you’ve been rude right from the start, so it’s a bit late for that.” the Doctor starts, “I don’t really understand why you’ve chosen to be so ignorant, and I just _ can’t _ wrap my head around why you think it is _ so wrong _ for someone to love whoever they want. Me and Yaz here aren’t even a couple. So you just presumed from the start. _ That _is how ridiculous you are. Do you feel ridiculous now? I sure hope you do.”

“I–”

“Not done.” the Doctor retorts, holding a hand up. “You know what I suggest? I suggest you go home, educate yourself, and then educate your son on how _ not _to be like you.” she points sharply, almost jabbing the woman’s chest, who had now gone red in the face with anger or embarrassment. Yaz wasn’t sure, and she didn’t care, too caught up in the Doctor’s defense of them and Inaya. 

“I will continue to unapologetically love whoever I want, and I know Yaz will too, and bigots like you will _ never _stop that from happening. Now walk away, and take your senseless ignorance elsewhere, ok?” the Doctor smiles falsely, not taking her eyes off the woman she slowly steps away, until she turns on her heel and walks briskly away muttering to herself.

The Doctor takes a deep breath as Yaz moves to stand next to her. “Flippin’ heck Doctor, you ripped her a new one.” Yaz grins, a new sense of pride filling her chest.

The Doctor glances to Yaz, confused expression once again painting her face. “I didn’t rip anything, Yaz? You know I don’t condone violence.” Yaz’s features turn impassive as it clicks in the Doctor’s head. “Oh, that was twenty-first century slang wasn’t it?” she grimaces as Yaz nods through a laugh. 

“Well,” the Doctor shrugs, “she deserved it. Shouldn’t be so stupid. Some of you humans and your problems with sexuality. My people couldn’t care less, I forget other species do.” 

Yaz rubs the Doctor’s arm gently. “Thank you, though, seriously.” she smiles genuinely and the Time Lord grins back as she plucks Inaya from Yaz’s arms, the little girl giggling as she does, her small arms wrapping around the Doctor’s neck.

“Always. Tell you what though, good job River wasn’t here, she _ would’ve _punched her in the face.”

“Who’s River?”

“My wife.” 

Yaz’s jaw drops. “Your — your wife?! Wait, what?!”

“It’s complicated.” the Doctor replies blasè as she lies back on the picnic blanket, letting Inaya spread eagle across her front.

Yaz drops on her knees next to the Doctor and pokes her shoulder, “Oh no, you don’t get to_ ‘it’s complicated’ _ this one…” 

**12.** **Sunday morning revelations **

They’re all sat at the kitchen table of the Khan’s flat, Inaya colouring in a picture of some eccentric looking figures, while Yaz and the Doctor sip on their respective cups of tea. The Doctor lifts hers to her lips, blowing briefly before taking a sip and humming in delight at its sweetness. She catches Yaz attempting to hide a laugh behind her own star speckled mug, natural curls swishing with a shake of her head. “What?” the Doctor frowns.

“Nothing, I just… I don’t understand how you haven’t got cavities from the amount of sugars you have in your tea. Especially with all the custard creams you dip in on top of that.” 

“What do you mean?” the Doctor asks, genuinely confused. “Eight sugars isn’t _ that _many. You should’ve seen my previous self. He had double the amount!” 

“Oh my God…” Yaz replies, shuddering at the thought of such an abomination. 

“Mummy?” Inaya calls, and Yaz looks over to see her daughter’s beady eyes focused on her.

“Yes, sweetheart?” she smiles softly.

“What colour is that?” Inaya points her finger at the Doctor’s shirt, a puzzled expression coating her small features.

“It’s magenta.” 

“Mag…?” 

“Mag-en-ta.” Yaz pronounces.

“Mag-en-ta.” Inaya repeats. “Magenta!” 

“Yep! Well done Inaya.” Yaz runs a hand through the curls that fall over Inaya’s shoulders as her daughter smiles proudly before looking confusedly at her crayons. 

“This one.” Yaz picks up a crayon that’s near enough to the colour of the Doctor’s shirt.

“Thank you!” Inaya responds politely, taking the crayon from her mum as she gets to work on finishing her picture, tongue poking out in concentration. 

Yaz chuckles at the sight before turning back to the Doctor, who is too busy smiling endearingly at the little girl to notice. “Reckon she gets that from you, you know.” Yaz announces, grabbing the Doctor’s attention.

“Huh?” 

Yaz replies by sticking her tongue out like Inaya’s, and realisation quickly paints the Doctor’s face. 

“I don’t do that!”

“Yes you do!” Yaz says through a hearty laugh, the sound whimsical enough to catch on and make a laugh spill from the Doctor’s own mouth. 

“Ok, maybe I do… sometimes.” the Doctor admits, taking another sip of her tea. 

Yaz grins when she reaches over the table to intertwine her fingers with the Doctor’s as she murmurs, “You do it all the time.” 

The Time Lord pouts in response, before her eyes suddenly light up. “You should’ve seen my eleventh, self! When he was concentrating on TARDIS repairs he would_—_” she stops when she sees the unimpressed look on Yaz’s face as the younger woman’s gaze flicks back and forth between her and Inaya. 

“Ah, yes. Sorry, forgot.” the Doctor grimaces as she lowers her voice to whisper. “This is a time and space free zone.” 

“Yes. It is.” Yaz responds, a smirk pulling at her lips, the Doctor’s playfulness making it impossible to stay serious for long. They hold each other’s gaze for a moment as both their expressions soften, until they’re interrupted by Inaya.

“I’m finished!” she announces, holding her picture close to her chest for the big reveal. 

Yaz pulls herself out her of Doctor fueled daze to pay full attention to her daughter, who has now slid off her own chair and is poking at Yaz’s thigh in a request to sit on her mum’s lap. Yaz scoots her chair back a touch and lifts the young girl up, her little legs dangling over her mum’s other thigh with Yaz’s hand on her back as support. “You’re getting a right lump now.” Yaz huffs jokingly. 

“No I’m not!” Inaya pouts and Yaz laughs.

“I know.” she exaggerates, rolling her eyes teasingly until her daughter gives her a gappy grin. “So what have you drawn sweetheart?” Yaz asks, genuinely intrigued, though she thinks she has a good idea. 

“It was homework for school! We had to draw our family.”

“Oh yes! First week back at school, how is year one treating you, honey?” the Doctor asks.

“Fun!” she quickly replies. “My new teacher is really nice.”

“Aww well that’s brilliant! If she sets you art homework she already sounds ace.”

“Yeah! Do you want to see now?” Inaya practically bounces in Yaz’s lap with excitement.

“Of course we do! Go on then.” Yaz nods to the drawing in Inaya’s hands. She finally spins it around to reveal what is clearly meant to be Yaz and the Doctor holding hands, and at the top of the drawing in a just about legible scrawl reads ‘My mum’s.’ 

Both women’s jaws drop as they glance at each other, completely taken aback by what Inaya has written. Yaz is the first one to regain her composure. “Erm, Inaya? What does the writing say across the top?”

“_My mum’s!” _Inaya replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Because you’re my mummy, and the Doctor is my newest mummy! Why? Do you not like it?” she asks, her confidence suddenly waning. 

“No! No, Inaya I love it! I promise, I’m just a little surprised is all.” Yaz offers her daughter an affectionate smile, rubbing her back comfortingly. 

“Surprised?” Inaya asks confused.

“Well, you’ve never called the Doctor your mum before. When did you decide that?”

Yaz takes note of the fact that the Doctor is yet to speak, not having looked back over to her yet as she continues to converse with Inaya. “At school! When we got given homework, my friends said they were going to draw their mummy and daddy. But I don’t have a daddy do I?” Yaz shook her head. “But the Doctor is like my dad, but she’s a mum. So, she’s mummy too.” she affirms, giving her head a strong nod as she beams up at Yaz, who gives her a watery grin in response. 

“Yeah, I suppose she is.” 

When Yaz finally chances a glance over at the Doctor, her lips are pulled tight, though she struggles to hide how they tremble. Her eyes are clouded over with unshed tears that she tries and fails to swallow down with a hard gulp. The Time Lord finally manages to look Yaz and Inaya in eye, and when she does, the dam bursts. The tears she tried so hard to hold back fall down her cheeks and her hand clasps over her mouth as she chokes back a sob. 

Inaya’s face drops at the sight of the Doctor’s tears. “Do you not want to be my mummy?” she asks, crestfallen, and the Doctor shoots out her seat, rounding the table to kneel in front of Inaya. 

“Of _ course _I do, Inaya. I’m just really overwhelmed right now that you would want that.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” 

The Doctor just laughs through her tears, and she catches a couple leaking from Yaz’s own eyes as she reaches out to scoop Inaya up, lifting her into a hug as they both hold each other tight. 

“I love you, you know.” the Doctor murmurs in Inaya’s ear, her grin as bright as the Sunday morning light that beams through the windows. 

“I love you too, mummy.” Inaya says back and if the Doctor could turn to mush, she’s pretty sure she would. 

“Well that’s it now,” Yaz chuckles as she wipes a couple of tears away. “You’ve been chosen, Doctor. You officially can’t leave.” 

The Doctor replies with a watery chuckle as she kisses Inaya’s forehead. “I wasn’t planning on it.”


	5. 13-14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no.14 is M rated!! just as an fyi <3

**13\. Braiding lessons**

“Wait, wait, wait.” the Doctor held her hand up in pause. “How do I do it again?” 

Yaz sighs, shuffling closer, thigh brushing against the Doctor’s own as she gently covers the Doctor’s hands, slender fingers guiding them back to Inaya’s hair and splitting the dark tresses into three parts. “The left section goes over the middle, and the middle moves to the left. Then, the right section moves to the middle, and the middle moves to the right, and repeat. See?” she says, showing the Doctor how to plait Inaya’s hair, the little girl sitting patiently between the Doctor’s knees. 

“Yes…” she answers, still a little unsure although Yaz pulls her hands away. 

“It’s ok, I’ll watch and save you if I need to.” the Doctor glances to the side to catch Yaz’s wink and chuckles before nodding determinedly. 

“I can do this.” 

She begins the process, repeating the actions Yaz had showed her, starting off slow at first, a few curls slipping free, but she soon gets the hang of it and finishes the first plait with ease. The Doctor ties the end with a bobble, fists pumping in the air with success. “I did it!”

“Well done!” Yaz congratulates, “Now you’ve gotta do the other one.” 

“Not a problem.” the Doctor grins, splitting the hair into sections and swiftly taming Inaya’s curls into a significantly neater plait than the first. 

Yaz watches as the Doctor’s chest puffs out in triumph, her hands falling to rest on Inaya’s shoulders and giving them a light squeeze. “All done, honey!”

Inaya jumps up and squeals as she claps her hands together, beaming at the Doctor, relieved to finally be able to move about again. Yet, before she can do anything– “What do you say, Inaya?” her mum states. 

“Thank you, Doctor!” she jumps into the Time Lords’ lap to give her a swift hug before running off to find her toys. 

The Doctor’s gaze follows Inaya away, recollection shining in her pupils as she thinks back on lifetimes long passed, doing similar things for her own–

“Doctor?” Yaz coos, pulling the Time Lord out of her melancholy. 

“Hm?”

“You ok?” she rubs her hand over the Doctor thigh to ground her, hoping to offer any comfort she feels she may suddenly need. 

The Doctor meets her gaze, and Yaz can see an old sadness brewing behind her eyes as an almost smile tugs at her lips. “Yeah, I was just… thinking back.”

“On what?” Yaz presses gently, not wanting to scare the Doctor off like timid wildlife.

“Oh, you know. Times long past. There are things I still wish I had and hadn’t done, things I wish I’d said…” the Doctor trails off, eyes falling to stare intensely at the fingers now fiddling nervously in her lap. 

“Did you,” Yaz starts, wondering whether to finish, and choosing to push forward. “Did you ever have kids, Doctor?” 

The Time Lord continues to focus on her hands for a few long moments before quickly standing and putting on what Yaz could easily tell was a false smile. She’d stepped on the branch and it had cracked. She’d scared her off. “Cup of tea, Yaz? It’s been a good hour since the last one.” the subject change is hardly subtle, but Yaz accepts it, accepts there are some things the Doctor will never tell her, and that’s ok. 

So she replies. “Yes, thank you. That’d be lovely.” and watches the Doctor head to the kitchen. “You know where the custard creams are?” she calls, knowing the Time Lord all too well in  _ some  _ aspects. 

“Of course!” the Doctor exclaims, and the kettle flicks on. 

**14\. Showering (M)**

_ Having put Inaya down for the night after finally settling in back home after an overdue stay in hospital, Yaz wastes no time in taking the opportunity to have a shower, making the most of the limited time she’ll have to herself before Inaya inevitably wakes up again. _

_ Carefully undressing, aware of the fresh scar that marks her lower abdomen, Yaz turns on the water and steps under the hot stream, sighing in content at the feeling of the water hitting her skin, washing the smell of antiseptic away. She replaces the harsh smell with the sweet scent of strawberry shower gel, scrubbing away her unpleasant experience on the maternity ward, stopping when she finally reaches the harsh line that blights her skin. She tentatively runs a finger across the sensitive flesh, taking in a sharp breath at the feel of it, so fresh and so… ugly.  _

_ Yaz deflates as she continues to stare at the scar, at how it mars her skin, only adding to the insecurities she already has thanks to the stripes that streak across her hips and her breasts. _

_ She feels tears spring up in her eyes, gaze flicking upwards to try and blink away the mist that clouds her vision. But she can’t do anything to stop the lump that forms in her throat, and the tears that end up spilling over to merge into the spray that hits her skin, the only evidence of her upset being the redness around her eyes. If she hates it, what will any potential partner think? _

  
  


Yaz is brought out of her thoughts by arms wrapping around her middle, bare skin pressing against her back under the spray of the shower as the Doctor leaves a gentle kiss on her shoulder. She brings her own arms up to rest over the Doctor’s, leaning her head back into the crook of the Doctor’s neck, welcoming her presence. 

“What’re thinking about?” the Doctor mumbles into her shoulder, squeezing tighter.

“Oh… nothing.” Yaz replies, brushing off the Doctor’s question, though the Time Lord is having none of it.

“Yaz?” she lifts her head, a frown creasing her brow.

“Honestly, Doctor, it’s nothing. I’m fine.” she tries to reassure, her voice betraying her when it wavers slightly.

“Yaz… what’s wrong?”

The young mum sighs, rubbing the Doctor’s arm with her thumb, appreciating the comfort her hold brings as her head drops to look down at her scars, the Doctor’s gaze following. “Yaz…” her face softens when she understands. “Yaz, they’re beautiful, just like the rest of you.”

“I know, you always say that. And I do believe you, it’s just—"

“Just what?” the Doctor questions, running her fingers over delicate lines.

“Sometimes I can’t help feeling… insecure about them. It’s just my stupid brain and I know I should ignore it but sometimes I just can’t.” she admits, feeling a bit lighter after her honesty. 

“Hey,” the Doctor coos, her fingers now grazing up and down Yaz’s sides, “None of that now. We can’t control how we feel about these things, ok? It’s human to feel insecure, but I’m always here to support you through it, alright? I love every, single, inch of you, Yasmin Khan. Let me show you that?”

The Doctor presses kisses against Yaz’s neck and down her shoulder, though the younger woman’s focus is on the hands that dips lower as she nods in consent to their movements. One of the Doctor’s hands grip gently at her hip, the other dipping into the heat between Yaz’s thighs. She sighs as she melts into the Doctor’s touch, head falling back against the Time Lord’s shoulder as her fingers dip lower, running through slick folds while the hand on Yaz’s hip starts to run up her toned stomach, muscles jumping under the Doctor’s touch until a strong hand reaches the small swells of Yaz’s chest. Deft fingers skim over dark stripes that streak across the outer edge of her breast, evoking a light gasp from Yaz at the sensitivity, the gasp growing louder, when the Doctor pinches a dark bud between her fingers and bites down on the skin of her neck, sucking lightly. She pulls back to leave a tender kiss on the already darkening skin, and Yaz can feel the smirk on the Doctor’s lips. 

As the Doctor continues to tease and palm Yaz’s breast, the skilled fingers between her legs run through wet heat, slowly circling her swollen bud, then working back through slick folds, gathering Yaz’s arousal on her fingers before dipping them down to her entrance and slowly sliding a finger inside to brush against Yaz’s inner walls. The Doctor’s finger pressing inside her elicits a quiet moan in the back of Yaz’s throat as a hand moves up to grasp in golden locks, her other moving up to join the Doctor’s over her breast, guiding her movements in search of more. 

Yaz feels the Doctor press against her, even closer, not allowing an inch of space between their skin, the wetness coating it making them cling together tighter. The Doctor’s finger increases in pace as she slips another inside, pressing as deep as their position allows, Yaz’s hand moving from over the top of the Doctor’s on her breast, down to the Time Lord’s wrist, helping her reach deeper, helping her to hit the spot inside that Yaz needs her to.

Suddenly, the feeling of the Doctor inside her is gone, hands and body pulling away, leaving Yaz confused for a moment, until she feels the cool press of tiles against her back and then the Doctor is in front of her, grabbing her face, fingers running into soaking wet hair as she pulls her into a wanton kiss. The Doctor’s tongue runs along her lower lip, nipping lightly at the dark skin before pushing past. She deepens the kiss as one hand moves back to Yaz’s breast, thumb running over a hardened bud while the other hand slides over her damp stomach, brushing over permanent lines before finally dipping back between Yaz’s thighs. Her knees almost giving out underneath her when deft fingers ghost over her clit and making her cry out in want. 

Yaz’s arms curl around the Time Lord’s neck, one hand falling to clutch at blonde strands, grip tightening when fingers slip back inside her, deeper than before.

“ _ Mhmph–  _ Doctor…” 

The Doctor’s lips dot kisses down Yaz’s neck as her hand drops from Yaz’s breast to hook under her thigh, lifting it to rest against her hip, allowing her to press deeper into Yaz whose grip on her hair increases, pulling the Doctor closer as a guttural moan falls from her lips.

“ _ Ah —  _ God, Doctor. More…” she begs, hips grinding down into the Doctor’s hand as the burning in her stomach turns into an inferno. The Doctor pulls away from her neck, locking eyes with Yaz, and the younger woman is sure she has never seen so much lust in the Time Lord’s eyes before. She sees just how much the Doctor wants her, how much the Doctor  _ needs  _ her, and it sends Yaz’s own arousal shooting through her like white hot heat. 

“You sure, Yaz?” she mumbles, raspy, and to Yaz the sound is like liquid gold. Her head nods rapidly, she needs more of the Doctor, more of everything, so the Time Lord presses even closer, lifting Yaz’s thigh higher while her own slips between her legs, pressing against her hand and causing friction against Yaz’s clit. Their foreheads press together and the Doctor’s pupils are blown wide, want pooling like small galaxies in her eyes as her tongue darts out to lick her lips, gaze dropping to Yaz’s own before she dips down and claims them, pushing a third finger past her entrance at the same time. Yaz moans into the kiss, the sound vibrating down her throat and into her chest, not a crack of space them as the Doctor pumps her fingers into Yaz, the hot water of the shower and the heat searing between the two women leaving their skin damp with steam and sweat. 

It's not long before the ecstasy Yaz feels explodes through her body, sending shivers down her spine as she cries out, her moans reverberating off tiled walls as she clenches around the Doctor’s fingers, her thighs trembling as the Doctor holds up against the wall at her back, offering support through her climax. Yaz slumps against the Doctor, whining as she pulls her fingers out, still slightly sensitive from the stretch. She watches as the Doctor holds her fingers underneath the spray to wash them off, gently releasing Yaz’s leg from her grip as she plants her foot back on the ground. 

Yaz still holds tight to the Doctor as she catches her breath, holding her close, the Doctor doing the same as she pulls her forward enough to be able to run her fingers down Yaz’s spine. “I love you so much, Yaz. I hope I’ve proved that.” she whispers in her ear, the younger woman pulling back from their hug to hold the Doctor’s gaze. 

“You did, thank you. And I love you too, Doctor.” the smile Yaz receives in return warms her heart, wrapping it tight with affection as she leans forward and captures the smile in a kiss, humming as it’s reciprocated.


	6. 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being rescued from prison, the Doctor sees her family again for the first time in... how long?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we back!!!
> 
> some friends really needed some good ol' softness / hurt/comfort and it felt like the perfect time to revive this little au!!
> 
> so here we are with yaz, inaya, najia, jack, and post-prison 13

**15\. Post-prison family comfort**

It was early evening when the door to the Khan family flat clicked open and Yaz stumbled through with an exhausted looking Doctor hanging limply from her form. 

“Yaz? Is that—” Najia froze, eyes widening as she peered around the corner to catch sight of the Doctor practically hanging off her daughter. “Oh…” 

“Hi, Yaz’s mum,” An American accent spoke from behind Yaz as a man supported the Doctor from behind. 

“Who—”

“Mum, this is Captain Jack Harkness. He’s the Doctor’s friend. He helped me rescue her.”

“Right…” Najia breathed through her shock.

“Wish we could’ve met through better circumstances…” Jack paused as he waited for a name.

“Najia.” 

“Najia!”

After a little more effort, Yaz and Jack managed to guide the Doctor to the sofa, gently sitting her down as she leaned heavily into Yaz. 

From further into the flat, the sound of a door creaking open diverted everyone’s attention. A moment later, Inaya stepped into the room. 

“Mummy, what are you—” 

The young girl froze, gaze locking onto the slumped form on the sofa with dirty blonde hair, clad in a blood-red jumpsuit. 

“Doctor?” Inaya whispered.

“Well, who’s this?” Jack asked, offering a friendly smile Inaya’s way.

“Jack, this is my daughter, Inaya. Come here, sweetheart,” Yaz called, reaching a hand out for Inaya to step forward and tentatively take. “Say hello to Jack, Inaya.”

“Hello,” Inaya mumbled. 

“Lovely to meet you, Inaya,” Jack grinned as he bent down to her level.

“Is it really the Doctor, mummy?” Inaya asked as she turned back to the woman pressed into Yaz, yet to speak. 

“Yeah,” Yaz said in a watery tone, “It is.”

“Is she ok?”

“She will be, sweetheart.”

After a long time, having finally snapped out of her initial shock, Najia spoke up, “Need me to fetch anything, love?” 

“A glass of water and a blanket please, mum.” Yaz requested, holding the Doctor tighter when she started to feel the slight tremor of her form.

“You wanna sit next to her, Inaya?” Jack asked, gaze pointing toward the Doctor, “She’s not saying much right now but I think she’d like that.”

Slowly, Inaya nodded and climbed onto the sofa, squishing herself against the Doctor’s side and wrapping her arms around her waist, “Hi, Doctor,” she muffled into the musty jumpsuit.

Silence stretched through the room for a moment, until the Doctor’s one arm moved to wrap around Inaya and the sound of a sniffle came from the face buried in Yaz’s neck.

Yaz chose not to mention her jumped had started to feel damp. 

A blanket soon draped itself over the Doctor’s shoulders from behind, a comforting hand resting gently on the back of her neck before moving away to the kitchen to flick on the kettle and pull three mugs from the cupboard after having passed a glass of water to Yaz. 

“Doctor,” Yaz spoke quietly in an attempt to avoid further overwhelming the Doctor’s senses, “Do you think you could have a go at having a drink of water for me?” 

After a long, apprehensive moment, the Doctor gave a small nod. There was another brief pause before the Doctor actually moved, shifting from her position so that Jack, Inaya, and Yaz could actually see her face properly for the first time since they’d entered the flat. 

Her black eye and bruised jaw looked sore and her eyes were red-rimmed. The Doctor’s cheeks were a little gaunt as her greasy hair hung limply around her face. Her lips turned up in the smallest smile in thanks as she shakily took the water from Yaz’s hand and took a sip. 

“Thanks,” the Doctor finally said, albeit hoarsely, her throat scratchy from lack of use. 

The Doctor turned to the young girl clinging to her side then, shifting her hand to run calloused fingers through the short curls of Inaya’s hair.

“Hi, Inaya,” she whispered, her voice shaky and eyes wet. 

From behind the Doctor, Yaz let a small sound of utter relief escape her throat as another of many tears slipped down her cheek. 

“Doctor? What happened to your face?” Inaya asked.

“Oh, um — it doesn’t matter,”

“But—”

“Cup of tea, Doctor?” Najia gently interrupted from behind, saving her from Inaya’s innocent questioning.

“Yes, thank you so much, Najia.” the Doctor smiled gratefully as she took the warm mug from Najia’s hands and wrapped her fingers around the heat, humming in appreciation. 

“Still have as many sugars as the last time I saw you?” Jack asked with a contagious grin that tugged at the corners of the Doctor’s own mouth. 

“More,” she mumbled around the rim of before taking a sip.

Jack just laughed in response.

“Nice to taste something that isn’t just flavourless mush,” the Doctor admitted before taking another sip.

“I assume you’ll be wanting one of these, then,” Najia said, offering a small plate of custard creams over the Doctor’s shoulder. 

Yaz took the plate from her mum while Najia went to go fetch the rest of the steaming mugs.

“Are they—”

“They are. Want one, Doctor?”

“Please,” she nodded.

“They’re all yours.”

The Doctor gripped a biscuit between her finger and thumb before biting off a corner of the custard cream. Yaz watched the Doctor well up as she chewed.

The Doctor swallowed. “They taste as good as I remember.”

Yaz let out a small laugh before spotting Inaya’s gaze fixed on the plate of biscuits. “Think someone else wants one, Doctor,” she smiled.

The Doctor’s gaze flicked between the plate and Inaya, “Course you can have one, honey,”

Inaya’s eyes lit up then as she lent over the Doctor and picked a biscuit up off the plate with a thank you before placing it between her lips and letting the crumbs spill into her lap with each bite. 

As Najia joined them and sat down on the adjacent sofa, Jack got up from kneeling on the floor to join her, the group sitting in a comfortable quiet as the TV idly played in the background. 

It was Inaya who broke the silence.

“Doctor?”

“Hm?”

“Why do you stink?”

“Inaya!” Yaz scolded, and Jack choked on his tea — but the Doctor just laughed.

“The place I’ve been this whole time was a bit stinky, to be honest, Inaya. Think the smell rubbed off on me.”

“It did,” Inaya replied with a scrunched up nose that made them all laugh. 

“Shall we run you a bath?” Yaz suggested.

“That sounds really nice, actually.” 

“Come on then,” Yaz said as she stood, “You okay to move?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor said as she took Yaz’s offered hand.

“Can I help?” Inaya asked, jumping eagerly off the sofa.

“I suppose,” Yaz rolled her eyes playfully.

“Yes!” Inaya grinned.

“Well, I think that’s my cue to make my departure,” Jack announced, placing his empty mug on the coffee table and rising from his seat. 

“Najia? Inaya? A pleasure. Yaz? Doctor? ‘Til next time.” 

Jack pulled them both into a warm hug, and he felt how tight the Doctor’s hold was, gripping tighter himself when she whispered another thank you into his ear. 

“Don’t leave it so long, next time,” the Doctor retorted with a smile that he reciprocated.

“Can’t get rid of me that easily, Doctor. I know where to find you now,” he said, gesturing to the flat around him. 

With that, Jack left the four them in the living room, Yaz and the Doctor still pressed close to each other as they slowly made their way toward the bathroom. 

“I’ll fetch you some towels,” Najia said as she headed down the hallway past them.

Yaz set the Doctor down on the toilet seat and flicked the light on, watching as she squinted at the sudden brightness of the room. 

“Crap, sorry. Want me to fetch a lamp or something instead so it’s not as intense?”

“If you don’t mind?” 

“‘Course,” Yaz said as she switched the light back off and headed to her room to go grab her bedside lamp.

When Yaz got back, the Doctor’s gaze was focused on the small hand clasped in her own, rubbing her thumb across tiny knuckles. 

The light in the room was much softer when Yaz plugged the lamp in, filling the small space with a gentle warmth. “Better?”

“Much, thank you.”

Yaz turned to the bath then, twisting the knob and letting the water spill out into the tub. As the water heated up, steam wisped into the air, the perfumy scent of floral bubble bath filling the room as Yaz knelt down and rolled up a sleeve to test the heat of the water. 

When the bath was ready, Yaz turned the water off and stood to face the Doctor. “Right, let’s get you out of that thing, eh?”

The Doctor looked down at her jumpsuit, “Yes, please. It’s not very comfortable.”

“And it smells,” Inaya pointed out cheekily.

“Yes it does,” the Doctor agreed with a chuckle.

“Want me to help or you ok doing it yourself?”

The Doctor was quiet for a moment, fighting a battle of vulnerability in her head before looking up.

“Help,” she spoke softly.

Simply nodding in response, Yaz knelt down between the Doctor’s legs and began to unbutton the jumpsuit. Once all the fastenings were free she slid the arms down, leaving the jumpsuit to hang around the Doctor’s waist and leaving her top half in just a white vest.

Before removing the jumpsuit any further, Yaz unlaced the dark brown boots encasing the Doctor’s feet, following with the removal of her socks before waiting for the Doctor to raise her hips so she could slip the jumpsuit over her backside and down her legs. 

Leaving the Doctor in just her undergarments, Yaz lifted herself back onto her feet. “Shall we leave you to change out the rest and get in the bath?”

“Yeah, can do. Always forget about how prude you humans are,” the Doctor smirked slightly.

Yaz just shook her head with a smile before guiding Inaya out the room, who reluctantly let go of the Doctor’s hand before leaving. 

Mother and daughter stood outside the bathroom door as they waited for the Doctor’s signal to go back inside. 

“Mummy?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“I’ve really missed her.”

“Me too, Inaya,” Yaz sighed as she played with Inaya’s hair, “Me too.”

“Now she’s back, does that mean you won’t be sad all the time?”

Yaz blanched at that, always forgetting how perspective her daughter could be.

“Let’s hope so, babe.” After a couple of minutes, Yaz gave the door a light knock. “Doctor? Can we come in?”

A pause. Then, “Yeah.”

Yaz pressed the handle and let Inaya inside first before swiftly following, carefully closing the door behind her and resting on the floor next to the bath by the Doctor’s head, Inaya perching next to her.

“Sorry, forgot to call you,” the Doctor murmured.

Her eyes were shut and she was sunk lazily into the bath. Bubbles covered her form and trickles of water traced her face. She’d already dunked her head under. 

“How’s it feel?” Yaz asked.

The Doctor hummed contently, sinking a little further into the water as her muscles relaxed around its soothing heat.

“Amazin’,” the Doctor mumbled in response, causing Inaya to giggle. The Doctor peeped an eye open at the sound and smiled.

Reaching across the tub, Yaz grabbed a bottle of coconut shampoo and squeezed a lump into her pam. 

“Wanna sit up a bit for me, Doctor?”

With a reluctant huff, clearly more than happy to just soak in the water, the Doctor sat up, bubbles still covering her chest as Yaz moved to sit on the edge of the bathtub and start massaging the Doctor’s scalp. 

As Yaz’s fingertips ran soothingly through the Doctor’s hair, thoroughly lathering the shampoo, the Doctor groaned in approval, sinking back into Yaz’s touch. She leaned back so far that she almost soaked Yaz’s jeans.

“Oi, no falling asleep in the bath, alright?”

“Hmm, feels so nice, though.”

“I know it does.”

“Mummy is the best at washing hair.”

“She is,” the Doctor agreed as she freed a hand from the water to rest an open palm on the edge of the tub for Inaya to take. The little girl instantly gripped tight and the Doctor’s smile grew a touch. 

Using a jug, Yaz carefully poured the water over the Doctor’s hair to wash the suds away before moving onto the conditioner. She continued to massage it into her scalp, leaving it to sit in the Doctor’s hair for a couple of minutes before washing it away. 

“Ready to get out?”

“Yeah,” the Doctor hummed in agreement. 

Picking up a fluffy towel Najia left for them, Yaz stood and fixed her gaze to the ceiling while holding the towel the length of the bath so the Doctor could step out of the water and straight into its warmth. The Doctor wrapped herself up and Yaz used a second towel to gently rub the Doctor’s hair so that it was no longer dripping wet. Once again, the Doctor leaned into the tender touch. 

Yaz and Inaya guided the Doctor to their room and Yaz found out her comfiest pyjamas for the Doctor, an old hoodie, fluffy checkered bottoms, and a pair of rainbow striped fluffy socks. The Doctor smiled when Yaz handed them over.

“Thought you’d like those,” she quipped, having spotted the lift of the Doctor’s lips.

“I do. Thank you.” 

“We’ll leave you to change and then you can come out when you’re ready. Think my mum’s made dinner.”

  
  
  


Yaz sat on the sofa with Inaya in her lap while they waited, the smell of Shepard’s pie cooking in the oven filling the flat.

“Mummy?”

Yaz looked down to meet her daughter’s gaze.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Why are you crying? I thought with the Doctor back you wouldn’t cry anymore.”

“Oh…” Yaz shifted a hand from where it was wrapped around to Inaya to her face, only to find a tear sliding down her cheek, “I didn’t even realise. Think I’m just a bit overwhelmed right now, Inaya.”

“Overwhelmed?”

“I’m just feeling a lot of different emotions right now, and I don’t really know how to express them all. So it’s just coming out as tears. It doesn’t mean I’m sad. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, you smarty pants,” Yaz leaned forward to press a kiss to Inaya’s head and the little girl smiled at the affection. 

Just as Najia pulled the pie out of the oven, the sound of footsteps softly padding down the hall announced the arrival of the Doctor back into the room. Yaz glanced over her form and smiled, she looked soft and clean and comfy, and a lot more relaxed than when they had first found her.

“You’re just in time, Doctor,” Najia said as she placed the pie in the middle of the table.

Yaz and Inaya stood and made their way over to the table. Inaya sat down straight away but Yaz made her way over to the Doctor first, gently running a hand up her arm. “Shepard’s pie. That alright?”

“Sounds brilliant,” she said, lifting a hand to briefly squeeze Yaz’s before being guided to the table.

It wasn’t hard to find her spot.

On the opposite side of the table, a piece of paper was attached to the front of the chair with a string of writing on it in Inaya’s scrawl. In different coloured crayons, it read,  _ ‘The Doctor’s Seat.’  _

When all three of the Khan’s followed where the Doctor’s gaze was directed to, they froze for a moment.

“Oh… um—” Yaz paused, her own gaze too fixated on the chair as painful memories made their return.

“Inaya made it,” Najia continued for her daughter, “We’ve been setting a place for you this whole time for when you got back.”

“Y— you have?” the Doctor stuttered, memories of her own forcing their way to the front of her brain in the form of Christmas, bow ties, flowing ginger locks, and a Roman who waited for over a thousand years.

“‘Course,” Yaz agreed hoarsely, holding back the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. 

The Doctor’s bottom lip wobbled, her own eyes becoming damp as she nodded and blinked the wetness away. She made her way around the table and before sitting down, whispered, “Thank you.”

It wasn’t long before they were all tucking into the food, and Yaz watched intently as the Doctor took her first bite of proper, food in God knows how long. Her eyes glistened at the taste. 

Conversation was minimal as they ate, with Yaz asking where her dad and sister were and Najia informing her Hakim was out with work friends and Sonya with college friends. The only other real conversation was Yaz making sure Inaya blew on her food enough that she didn’t burn her mouth. 

All their plates were empty by the time they were done, and Yaz and Najia refused the Doctor’s offer to help clean up, instead insisting her and Inaya go and sit on the sofa. 

Yaz dried as Najia washed up, and it was easy to feel her mother’s eyes continuously flicking to her.

“I can feel you watching, mum.”

“I’m just—” Najia sighed as she paused her scrubbing, “—How’re feeling, love? This must be a lot. Seeing her again after all this time. You’ve been struggling so much.”

“I’m feeling a lot of things right now, mum,” Yaz admitted as she dried a plate, “Mostly just relief at the moment, I think. That’s she actually  _ alive _ . And here. With me and Inaya.”

“I’m here for all of you, you know that, Yasmin?”

Yaz’s hands paused and she looked up at her mum who was offering a warm smile, “I know. I love you, mum.” 

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

  
  
  


When Yaz was relieved of cleaning up duties by Najia, she made her way back over to the sofa to find the Doctor sat on the floor with her back against the sofa and Inaya sat cross legged on the sofa plaiting her still damp hair. The plait was messy, but the Doctor didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she was surprisingly emotional.

“You alright, Doctor?” Yaz asked, sitting on the floor next to her as she noted the tears in her eyes.

“I’m fine,” she replied, “Just nice to have someone play with my hair after so long, you know?”

Yaz didn’t respond with words, instead choosing to slip her fingers between the Doctor’s and rest them on her thigh. The Doctor’s gaze flitted to the side, enough to catch Yaz’s comforting smile and she smiled back as she gave Yaz’s hand a gentle squeeze in thanks. 

When the Doctor’s plaits were complete, the two women shifted back up onto the sofa, Inaya in the Doctor’s lap with a blanket wrapped around them. None of them were really concentrating on the show playing on the television, all too focused on each other’s warmth. Especially Inaya, who was already dozing off.

It wasn’t long before Najia suggested they head off to bed, so not ten minutes later did Yaz, Inaya, and the Doctor all find themselves curled up together under the covers. Inaya was lying in between the two women, her arms wrapped tightly around the Doctor.

“You can have more hugs now you smell nice,” she mumbled into the Doctor’s borrowed hoodie.

“Thanks, Inaya,” the Doctor chuckled quietly.

Yaz and the Doctor lay in silence, both listening as Inaya’s breathing slowly evened out, and the Doctor felt the slight slowing of her heartbeat with how tightly Inaya was pressed to her. It almost felt like an unspoken conversation between the two of them. That they would talk once Inaya was asleep, and when she was, Yaz didn’t hesitate to start the conversation.

“I saw the tally marks,” she started in a low whisper, “on the walls of your cell. Were you counting the days, Doctor?”

There was a long pause before the Doctor responded.

“Yes.”

“There were  _ a lot  _ of tallies.”

“There were.”

“How long has it been for you?”

“Does it matter?”

“Doctor—”

“Too long.” the Doctor interrupted. “Just… too long, Yaz.” It was clear the Doctor wasn’t going to elaborate further, the wounds of their time apart still far too tender to touch. So instead, she flipped the question, “What about you? How long for you?”

The Doctor glanced down to the small bundle cuddled up to her, eyes glistening with worry in the slithers of moonlight peeking through Yaz’s blinds. 

“She looks bigger,” she said with a trembling tone.

“Just over eight months,” Yaz answered.

“I missed her birthday,” the Doctor uttered in response.

“Yeah… she saved you a slice of cake.”

“I bet she did,” the Doctor said through a watery breath.

“Doctor—”

“I know it’s not even been a year but…” Yaz watched as the Doctor squeezed Inaya a little tighter, “I feel like I’ve missed so much.”

Hearing the wobble in the Doctor’s voice, Yaz shuffled closer and tucked a strand of loose blonde hair behind the Doctor’s ear.

“She’s got her whole life ahead of her for you to see, Doctor. And you’re here to see it now. Focus on that. You’re here with her… with me. Right where we want you. I can’t even explain how much I— we missed you.” Yaz sighed.

“I thought about you every single day. All of you.”

“I can believe it.” 

The Doctor failed to suppress a yawn, the action a stark reminder of the dark bags under her eyes that haven’t budged all evening.

“You should get some sleep.”

“I’m scared to,” the Doctor replied with surprising honesty.

Yaz found herself confused. “Why?”

“Because…” the Doctor sighed, “Because I’m scared if I close my eyes — when I open them again this’ll all be gone and I’m gonna wake up back in my cell. What if this all just some sick dream?”

“It’s not.”

“But—”

“It’s not, Doctor. I promise you it’s not.”

To prove her point, Yaz gently clasped one of the Doctor’s hands and guided it to her chest, letting the pale hand press against her hard enough to hear the regular  _ thumping _ of her heart in her chest.

“Feel that? That’s real,” Yaz smiled reassuringly.

The Doctor’s hand moved then, cool fingers brushing along Yaz’s jaw before a palm pressed flat against her cheek.

“Yeah,” the Doctor breathed, and Yaz placed her own hand over the Doctor’s. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!! <33


End file.
